In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,658,813 and 3,717,655 there are described a number of antibacterial and antifungal 1-(.beta.-aryl)-ethylimidazole ethers and amines. Among other differences the compounds of the present invention differ from those prior art compounds by the absence of an ether- or aminefunction at the .beta.-position of the arylethyl chain.